Coal-cleaning apparatus



Feb. 10, 1931.

H. 1.. MCLEAN 1,792,179

COAL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1928 s Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1931. L, McLEAN 1,792,179

COAL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VE N TOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE HARRY LAURENCE MCLEAN, 0F SORANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 GEORGE w. WILMO'J. AND ONE-THIRD TO FRANCIS'H. BLAT'CH, BOTH OF HAZLE- TON, PENNSYLVANIA 'coAIroLmNme APPARATUS Application filed m 9, 1928. Serial No. 276,261.

My invention relates to coal washing apparatus of the type in which one or more streams of water are caused to flow through a mass of coal in a direction transversely of that in which the mass as a whole is moving.

The operation of a coalwashing apparatus in the manner indicated is possible because ofthe fact that the impurities, which consist usually of slate, stone and the like,.are of greater specific gravity than the coal. Such being the case the water which isdischarged into the mass of coal carries the coal along with it but permits the heavier materials, the impurities, to continue in their movements without substantial deflection from the path in which they may have been traveling.

The general object of my invention is to provide an apparatus having novel means whereby the impurities of greater specific gravity than the coal may be separated from the latter by causing one or more streams of water to flow through a moving mass of coal and impurities in such manner as to effect efficient separation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for the washing of coal, having means of novel construction which may be adjusted to adapt the said apparatus for the treatment of coal having varying and different percentages of impurities or for 'eign matter therein.

I shall not at this time set forth more fulty the various objects and advantages of the invention, but othen-objects and advantages thereof will be referred to in the detailed description of the invention which follows or will become apparent from such description.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which" I have illustrated apparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a coal washing apparatus embodying the invention Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 showing a detail of construction; and

Fig. 6 is a view in transverse section of a fragmentary portion of a machine taken in the. same plane as that ofFig. 3 and showing a modified construction.

In the drawings I have shown a tank designated as a whole by the reference numeral 1. The tank may be supported in any known manner, as by a suitablesupporting frame structure, but suchstructure is not shown because my invention is not concerned with the tank supporting means but with the tank structure itself.

The tank is divided into various sections each of which performs its own particular purpose. It comprises a portion 2 one outer wall 30f which is inclined downwardly toward the bottom of the tank as shown. Pro jecting from the said wall inwardly of the tank are partition walls 4 which are located in spaced relation to each other and upon which is mounted a screen plate or foraminous member 5 having openings therethrough as shown. The lower end'of the said plate terminates in adjoining relation to and is secured to the upper edge of a vertical wall portion 6. The upper edge of the wall 3 is provided with an inwardly and horizontally extending portion 7 from which extends a flange like portion 8 in parallel relation to the wall 3. The lower edge of the portion 8 terminates a considerable distance from the uppermost of the partition walls 1. The wall 3 together with the screen'plate mounted thereon is inclined and extended in a direction transversely of the bottom portion 10 of the tank into which the coal and the slate are discharged. The said bottom portion of the tank is divided into two compartments 11 and ,12 by means of a wall 13 which extends in a direction transversely of the direction in ,which the inclined wall 3 extends. The said wall 13 extends lengthwise of an extension 15 of the tank along the bottom of which the coal and the slate are removed from the bottom portion 10 of the tank. The said wall divides the extended portion 15 into two parts, as is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The means for removing the coal and the slate from the tank will be referred to hereinafter and described in detail.

The mixture of coal and impurities to be washed may be discharged from a chute 16 onto the upper side of the upper edge portion of the screen plate 5 previously referred to. The flow of the coal downwardly over the screen plate may be controlled by the adjustable bafile plate 20 the adj ustment of which is adapted to be eflected by means of an adjusting screw 21. The apparatus may be'built with the bottom 3 and the screen plate 5 oo:

cupying any angle of inclination which may be desired.

For the purpose of separating the coal from the impurities during the downward flow of the mixture of coal and impurities over the screen plate 5 I supplyto the compartments formed by the partition walls 4 water under pressure. For the purpose of supplying the water to the said compartments under pressure I have provided an upright cylindrical manifold or pressure tank 25 to which water is adapted to be supplied under pressure through a pipe 26 from a pump 27 the latter being actuated by means of a motor 'indicated at 28. The pump 27 is connected by means of a pipe 30 to a compartment 31 of the tank structure which is separated from the main body of the tank structure by means 7 of a spaced vertical transversely extending plate one end portion 32 of which is of a height substantially equal'to that of the adjoining walls of the tank while the opposite end portion 32 is considerably lower, as shown. A plate 33 is supported in overlapping spaced relation to the portion 32 as shown to form a channel or passageway 34 for the passage of water to the compartment 31 from the main body ofthe tank, From the latter the Water is drawn, as already indicat-ed, by means of the pump 27 through the pipe 30 and is re-delivered to the tank from the manifold 25 through the pipes 37, 38, 39 and 40 whichare provided with valves 41 by which the flow of the water therethrough may be controlled.

These latter pipes have connection and communicate with the respective compartments formed by the partition walls 4. It will be seen, therefore that the water travels as it were in a circle or cycle through the tank structure. The Water which is delivered under pressure to the several compartments upon the inner side of the inclined bottom 3 is discharged therefrom through the perforations of the screen plate 5. The water should be discharged with sufficient force to carry the coal laterally from the mass of coal which is traveling down over and upon edge of the wall 6. The guide plates 45 are slidably supported at their opposite ends between supporting guides 45. The guide plates '45 preferably are adjustable and for 'the purpose of effecting such adjustments I have provided adjusting rods 46 which extend transversely of the tank and which are oscillatably mounted in bearings at their opposite ends, some of said bearings being provided in side walls of the said tank and others in extensions 46 of said walls. One of these rods is associated with each of the guide plates 45 and each of the said rods is provided with an arm 47 projecting upwardly therefrom and having in adjoining relation to its upper end a pin 48 which engages with a slot 49 provided in a projection 50 which depends from the adjoining guide plate. It will be apparent that upon rotation of the rods 46 or anyone of them adjustment of a guide plate or of the guide plates is effected.

For the purpose of rotating or oscillating the rods 46 I have provided upon one end of each of said rods a hand wheel 51 having an inwardly projecting\hub 52 which in turn is provided with a rim 53 having notches 54 as shown. The respective wheels 51 are fastened to the respective rods 46 by means of pins 55 which pass through the hubs 52. For the purpose of holding a wheel and the rod to which it may be connected in any position to which it may beadjusted I have provided a locking pin comprising a head portion 60 and vided with a detachable head 64. The lower 1 end of the head 60 is tapered to fit the notches 54. The locking pin is held downwardly to cause the pointed end of the head to engage the notches 54 by means of a spring 65 mounted within the opening 62.

It will be apparent that upon adjustment of the rods 46 the guide plates 45 are adjusted in one direction or the other in their guide supports 45' so as to bring their upper edges into position in nearer or farther relation with respect to the inner side ofthe screen plate 5. In practice it will be found that the said guide plates 45' may be readily adjusted into positions to causethe appara- Y tus to operate with maximum efficiency.

The coal as it falls from the upper guide cessively and finally reaches the compartment plates strikes the inner upper edge portions of the next adjoining lower plates suc- 12 previously referred to.

The slate, being of greater specific gravity than the coal, is not carried laterally by the force of the streams of water which flow through the perforations of the screen 5 from the compartments formed by the partition walls 4 and consequently continues its downward movement upon the said screen plate and finally is discharged therefrom into the compartment 11.

For the purpose of preventing too rapid flow of the coal and its mixture of slate and other impurities I have provided at intervals upon the top of the screen angle plates 70. Preferably these angle plates are located in the planes of the partition walls 4 and one flange thereof is located upon the top surface of the screen plate 5 and in right angular relation to the planes of the partition walls 4. The said angle plates and the screen plate are secured to the edges of the said partition walls by means of fastening screws 71. The other flanges of the angle plates extend in planes substantially at right angles with respect to the plane of the screen 5. s

The slate and the coal, having been deposited in the bottom .or low-est portion of the tank within the respective compartments 11 and 12, are removed by means of conveyors operating in the respective compartments. The compartment within which the slate is deposited is narrower than that within which the coal is deposited, consequently I employ but a single endless conveyer chain 75 for supporting the. scraper blades 76 the outer edges of which are adapted to be dragged along the bottom of the com artment 11. For supporting the'similar blades 77 for removing the coal from the compartment 12 I provide or employ two endlesscon'veyer chains 78. The conveyer chains are supported upon sprocket wheels 79, 80, 81 and 82 which are mounted respectively on shafts 83, 84, 85 and 86. The shaft 83 is supported in bearings provided in the opposite side walls of'the tank near the bottom thereof and also in the partition wall 13. The shaft 85 is mounted in bearings provided in brackets 87 upon the upper portion of the tank and in adjoining relation to the outer upper ends of the channels or compartments 11 and 12. The shaft 86 previously referred to is mounted in bearings 88 which are adj ustably mounted in guide-ways upon brackets 89 supported upon the upper edge portion of the tank structure. Adjustment of the bearings 88 is efiected by means of adjusting screws 90. The purpose of adjusting the shaft 86,which carries the guiding sprocket wheels 82, is to take up the slack of the sprocket chains 7 5 and 7 8. The sprocket chains travel in the direction indicated by the arrows 91. For the purpose 'of fragmentary portion of a coal Washing struc-v ture identical with that disclosed in' the preceding figures .ofthe drawings except that the guide plates 93 for receiving and guiding the coal into the compartment 12 are rigidly mounted upon and connected with I the oscillatable rods or shafts 46". For the purpose of connecting the guide plates 93 with the oscillatable rods 46" I have provided the said plates with projections 94 which extend downwardly and which are provided with openings through which the oscillatable rods 46" extend. The rods may be fastened to the projections 94 by brazing or in any other manner.

The rods 46 areidentical with the rods 46 and the rotary adjustments thereof are effected in identically the same manner as has been described in connection with the rods 46. Rotary adjustment of the rods 46" causes like adjustment of the plates 93 mounted thereon so that the angle of the inclination thereof is varied. If desired, the plates 93'may be adjusted into positions which are substantiall other hand, they may lie adjusted so as to increase their angles of inclination as compared with the angles shown in the drawings. In the operation of a coal cleaning apparatus embodying my invention the force with which the water ma be supplied to the compartments formed y the partition walls 4 may be readily ascertained by practice.

,Owing to variations in the specific gravities of the coal and of the impurities which may be intermingled therewith it is not practical to indicate in advance the exact pressure at which the water should be discharged through the screen plate 5, nor is it practical to indicate the exact positions which the guide plates 45 and 93 should occupy. Suffice to say that whatever the condition of the coal which is being washed or treated, the pressure of the water is capable of being controlled andregulated and adjustments of the guide plates 45 or 93 so effected as to operate with .amaximum of efliciency- Although in the description water alone has been referred to as being supplied to the compartments formed by the partition walls 4, it is to be understood that other fluids may be employed, such for example, as air.

Having thus described my invention, what a screen member onto which coal is adapte to horizontal, or, on the' be delivered and along which it is adapted to travel, guide plates located in planes extending transversely of the plane of the said screen member, said guide plates having outer edges which are located in spaced relation to said screen member and said plates being inclined downwardly from their outer edges, means for adj ustably supporting said guide plates in spaced relation to each other, means for causing streams of fluid to flow continuously through the said screen member and through the stream of coal traveling thereover so as to cause lateral displacement of the coal onto the said guide plates.

2. Apparatus for cleaning coal and separating impurities therefrom, comprising a foraminous member onto which the coal with the mixture of impurities therein is adapted to be discharged and along which it is adapted to travel, adjustable guide plates located in planes extending transversely of the plane of the said foraminous member, one

- edge of each plate being located in spaced relation to the said foraminous member and each plate being inclined downwardly from said edge and away from the foraminous member, manually operable means connected to said plates for adjusting the same, means providing compartments underneath the said foraminous member, and means for continuously supplying a fluid under pressure to said compartments.

3. Apparatus for cleaning coal, comprising a tank having a foraminous member supported in spaced relation to an inclined wall of the said tank, the said wall having in wardly projecting partition walls upon which the said foraminous member is' supported, the said partition walls forming compartments, means for continuously supplying a fluid under pressure to the said compartments, the said fluid escaping through the perforations of the said foraminous member and causing outward movement of the coal away from the said member, guiding plates supported in spaced relation to each other and each plate having an" outer edge in spaced relation to'the said foraminous member for receiving the said coal and dis charging the same into a compartment provided therefor in the said tank, and each plate being inclined inwardly and downwardly from its outer edge.

4. Apparatus for cleaning coal, comprising a tank having a wall inclined to a horizontal plane to form an obtuse angle therewith, the said inclined wall having inwardly extending partition walls, a foraminous member mounted upon the inner edges of said partition walls and adapted to have deposited thereon in adjoining relation to the upper edge thereof coal to be cleaned, meansfor continuously supply ing a fluid under pressure to the compartments formed by the said partition walls which fluid is discharged under pressure through the perforations of the said foraminous member to cause lateral displacement of the coal with respect to the said foraminous member, adjustable guide plates located in spaced angular relation to the said foraminous member, the outer edges of said guide plates being located in opposed relation to the said foraminous member, and manually operable means connected to said guide plates for effecting adjustment thereof to vary their relation with respect to the said foraminous member.

5. Apparatus for cleaning coal, comprising a tank having a wall inclined to a horizontal plane to form an obtuse angle therewith, a foraminous member supported in spaced relation to the said wall, which member is adapted to receive coal upon the inner surface of the upper edge portion thereof which coal travels downwardly over the said member,

means for continuously supplying a fluid v ing plates supported in planes angularly related to the said foraminous member, the said plates being inclined downwardly and their inner edges being located in opposed spaced cooperative relation to the said foraminous member, and manually operable means connected to said plates for adjusting the same goward and from the said foraminous mem- 6. Apparatus for cleaning coal and other ores, comprising a tank having an inclined wall provided with inwardly extending spaced partition walls, a foraminous member supported upon said walls which member is adapted to have the material to be treated deposited upon the inner side of the upper portion thereof, which material travels downwardly over the said screen, means for supplying a fluid under pressure to the compartments formed. by the said partition walls, which fluid is adapted to be discharged through the perforations of the said foraminous member and to act upon the material being treated to cause a lateral deflection in the travel thereof, guide plates onto which the said material is adapted to be deposited and over which it-is adapted to be discharged, means for slidably supporting the said plates with their outer edges in spaced operative relation to the said foraminous member, and means for effecting slidable movements of the said plates to adjust them in relation to the said foraminous member.

, 7. Apparatus for cleaning coal and other ores, comprising a tank having an inclined a tank having a of said plates being supported upon said walls which member is adapted to have the material to be treated deposited upon the inner side of the upper portion thereof, which material travels downwardly over the said screen, means for supplying a fluid under pressure to the compartments formed byithe said partition walls which fluid is adapted to be discharged through the perforations of the said foraminous member and to act upon the material being treated to cause a lateral deflection in the travel thereof, guide plates onto which the said material is adapt-ed to be deposited and over which it is adapted to be discharged, means for slidably supporting the said plates with their outer edges in spaced operative relation to the said foraminous member, means for effecting slidable movements of the said plates to adjust them in relation to the said foraminous member, and means for retaining the said plates in any position to which they may be adjusted.

8. Apparatus for cleaning coal, comprising a tank having a wall inclined to a horizontal plane to form an obtuse angle therewith, a foraminous member supported in spaced relation to the said wall onto the inner side of which member coal to be treated is adapted to be deposited, which coal travels clownwardly upon the said member, means for retarding the downward traveling movement of the coal, means for continuously supplying the space between the said inclined wall and the said foraminous member with a fluid under pressure, which fluid escapes under pres sure through the perforations of the said member and causes lateral displacement of the coal, adjustable guide plates located in planes angularly related to the plane of the said foraminous member, the outer edges of said plates being located in spaced cooperati've relation with respect to the said member, and manually operable means for adjusting the said plates, each of said plates being inclined inwardly and downwardly from its outer edge.

9, Apparatus for cleaning coal, comprising wall inclined to a horizontal plane to form an obtuse angle therewith, a foraminous member supported in spaced practically parallel relation to the said wall onto the inner side of which member coal to be treated is adapted to be deposited, which.

coal travels downwardly upon the said member, means for retarding the downward traveling movement of the coal, means for supplying the space between the said inclined wall and the said foraminous member with a fluid under pressure, which fluid escapes under pressure through the perforations of the said member and causes lateral displacement of the coal, movable guide plates located in planes angularly related to the plane of the said foraminous membeigthe outer edges located in spaced cooperative relation with respect to the said member and said plates being inclined downwardly from their outer edges and away from the said foraminous member, means'for adjusting the said plates, and means for retaining the said plates in any position into which they may be adjusted.

10.,Apparatus for cleaning coal, comprising a'tank having a wall inclined to a horizontal plane to form therewith an obtuse angle, said wall being provided with a plurality of spaced inwardly projecting partition walls, a foraminous member connected to and supported upon the inner edges of said partition walls and forming with the latter and with the said inclined wall a plurality of compartments, means for supplying a fluid under pressure to the said compartments, a plurality of plates supported in the said tank in planes angularly related to the plane of the said foraminous member, the said plates being inclined downwardly and adapted to have coal deposited thereon, the upper edges of said plates being located in spaced coopirative relation to the said foraminous mem- 11. Apparatus for cleaning coal, comprising a tank having a wall inclined to a hori zontal plane to form therewith an obtuse angle, said wall being provided with a plurality of spaced inwardly projecting partition walls, a foraminous member connected to and supportedupon the inner edges of said partition walls and forming with the latter and with the said inclined wall a plurality of compartments, means for supplying a fluid under pressure to the said compartments, a plurality of plates supported in the said tank in planes angularly related to the plane of the said foraminous member, the said plates being inclined downwardly and adapted to have coal deposited thereon, the upper edges of said plates being deflected downwardly and located in spaced cooperative relation to the said foraminous member, and means for slidably adjusting the said plates toward and from said foraminous member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 28rd day of April, 1928.

FAB-RY LAURENCE MGLEAN. 

